


Back to you

by divineloving



Category: Anne of Green Gables - L. M. Montgomery, Anne with an E (TV)
Genre: AU, Aged Up, Alternate Universe, Anne with an E - Freeform, Derry, F/M, Modern Era, Season 3, Shirbert, awae
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-17
Updated: 2019-10-31
Packaged: 2020-12-21 03:21:35
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,675
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21067973
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/divineloving/pseuds/divineloving
Summary: A modern day AU where everyone has recently graduated from Queens - even Jerry - and Diana is finally back from Paris. However, her absence has hurt some people more so than others, and when she asks Anne and Jerry if she could live with them until she gets settled, Jerry has a slight grudge (and a broken heart) that gets in the way of things. All Anne wants is for her friends to get along, and perhaps her and Gilbert will even play matchmaker if it'll get them to stop arguing or looking at each other with sadness in their eyes. JerryxDiana, GilbertxAnne. I'm so bad at summaries but it's not as bad as it sounds. Also I'm unoriginal that's why the title sucks





	1. Absence

**Author's Note:**

> Hi, I'm new to this platform and have been wanting to write AWAE fanfiction for a while now and the recent episodes have really given me inspiration, so here it is! I haven't written in a while so I'm unsure how I feel about it, if you could leave your opinion I'd appreciate it! Also I know zero French so I definitely used Google translate forgive me if it's wrong.

“No. No way. _Je suis désolé,_ Anne, but I refuse.” Jerry’s voice rang through the kitchen of the apartment he shared with Anne, and he ran a hand through his hair. “She can’t stay in the same house as me.” Anne simply scoffed at the boy. Was he really foolish enough to think he had any say in this? “Jerry, it’s already happening. Today! I mentioned this to you last week.” The red-head crossed her arms tightly across her chest. She had made sure to give Jerry a heads up about Diana’s inevitable return - he chose not to listen, and that was on him. A sharp frown overtook the normally happy boys face. “Yes, and I laughed because I was sure you weren’t serious.” Jerry whined, adding a few curse words in French under his breath. “Look, I put up with a lot living with you.” 

Anne let out a throaty laugh, and instantly glared daggers at the boy. “Oh, do you?” She snapped. “Please indulge me!” “You constantly have Gilbert, or Cole, or Ruby over!” He began, throwing his hands in the air for emphasis. “They’re your friends too.” Anne reminded him with a scowl, and Jerry didn’t object. That was true, but Anne never asked if it was okay with Jerry before they came over. Regardless, Jerry ignored her and continued on with his tangent. “You’re constantly using big words that you know I don’t know, and I swear half of the time you just do it to give me a headache.” Jerry scrunched up his nose. “And to help you learn!” Anne objected, knowing that it did indeed help expand the French boys vocabulary. “And I happily put up with all of it! Marilla and Matthew put the most amount of money into this place, and I’m grateful, so I never complain. But living with the girl who broke my heart and then abandoned me?” Jerry scoffed and shook his head. If Anne was being honest, she had never seen him so worked up. “That’s where I draw the line!” 

And at that, Anne recognized that despite it being four years ago, Jerry still wasn’t over Diana. He was still hurt by what happened between them, and was scared that seeing her would only make things worse. Especially if she’d be sleeping on the couch.The boy was once charming many girls before falling for the richest girl in Avonlea. Now, he just seemed uninterested in them all. Anne let out a deep sigh. Although she understood where Jerry was coming from, she couldn’t let him continue to hold onto his past pain. In fact, if it was up to her Jerry and Diana would reunite and return to being the cutest, most hidden couple in Avonlea. “Jerry, come on.” Anne pleaded, walking over to the boy she saw as a brother. “First of all, Marilla and Matthew helping us pay for this place doesn’t mean anything. You know we consider you family, and they’d chew my head off if they knew I made this decision before fully consulting you, regardless of how much they adore Diana!” 

Anne barely paused to breath before continuing her rant to the part that Jerry didn’t want to hear, but needed to. “And I hate to say this, but you know it’s not Diana’s fault. Her parents made her go. She would’ve rather gone to Queens with the rest of us.” Anne’s voice got progressively quieter as she spoke, not wanting to cross any lines seeing as Jerry was still not completely recovered from his heartbreak. “I don’t know the details of what happened that night, but I know she didn’t want to leave.” 

Jerry was silent as he let his brain take in her words. He knew deep down that she was right. He knew the best option was to let Diana stay there until she got back on her feet in Avonlea, and to try and get along with her for the duration of her stay. But it wasn’t easy to play nice after everything that occurred between the two of them prior to Diana leaving for Paris. And despite his pain, he rationally knew he shouldn’t continue to blame the raven-haired girl entirely for what happened so long ago. Yet unfortunately, none of it was as easy as it seemed. 

“Fine. She can stay, and I’ll do my best to play nice. But tell her to only talk to me if she has absolutely no other choice.” He fell over his words childishly. Anne shot him an annoyed look. “You can tell her yourself. I refuse to be a messenger.” And tell her, he would. 

—

It was only a mere four hours later when Anne giddily announced that Diana was arriving to their apartment as she spoke. Only a pathetic four hours - that’s how long Jerry got to fully prepare himself to face Diana Barry again. It didn’t feel nearly long enough, but he was sure even a lifetime of preparation wouldn’t have been long enough. What would he say to her? How would he act? If he heard her speak French, would his heart beat out of his chest? Would looking at her hurt him as much as he thought it would? He had been pondering all of those questions and more since the moment he found out Diana was coming, and still he had come up with no answers. And now, as he heard a light knock come from their front door, he realized his time for thinking was up. 

Anne quickly rushed to the door and excitedly threw it open, letting in her bosom friend, and Jerry listened to their squeals of excitement as they embraced tightly. The girls had seen each other here and there since Diana had left for finishing school, when she would come back on holiday to visit, but it was hard to enjoy spending time with your best friend when both of you know that the time is limited. Jerry, on the other hand, had become an expert on avoiding Diana before her first visit home was even over. At first, she tried to reach out to him, but he made it impossible. To further avoid her, he ended up staying with Gilbert the whole first week that she was back to visit. He even, rather apologetically, barely went to work that week much to Marilla and Matthew’s dismay. Although, he knew he had made the right decision when later on Matthew informed him that Diana did indeed stop by looking for him on several occasions. The boy barely left the Blythe household at all that week, or really anytime that Diana was visiting, much to her disappointment. 

The girl eventually realized where Jerry was hiding out every time, thanks to Sebastian letting it slip once when she ran into him in town, but she never tried to go see him there. She got the hint that he didn’t want to see her, and the last thing she wanted was to hurt him any more than she already had. And yet now that she was here, right in front of him, he found himself wanting to run and hide more than ever. But that wasn’t an option. When her soft eyes met his, they both felt the nerves coursing through their bodies. “Jerry,” Diana said hesitantly as she escaped Anne’s embrace and shakily took a step towards him. However, he took a step back and quickly tore his gaze away from her, causing her to freeze where she was. “Hello, Miss Barry.” He addressed her formally. “Allow me to grab your bags.” He grabbed her many bags from her long trip without even glancing at her. Diana tried to pretend it didn’t hurt as she watched him walk away. 

Instead, the girl turned her attention to Anne. “Thank you so much for letting me stay here until I find a place of my own. I couldn’t bear to stay at my parents. They’ve been so dreadful since I got back.” Anne looked at her friend sympathetically, grabbing onto her hand. Anne was one of the only people who knew how terrible Diana’s parents could truly be. The two of them had already discussed it recently, and about a thousand times before that as well, talking about how her parents were rather displeased that finishing school hadn’t transformed Diana into the perfect daughter. She was still just as strong willed and independent as she was when she left, if not more so. “It’s my pleasure.” Anne gave her hand a tight squeeze, accompanied by a smile. 

Diana helplessly looked back over at Jerry, who was putting her bags in Anne’s room even though she was supposed to be sleeping on the couch. Regardless of where she slept, Jerry knew she’d need a decent amount of space for all of her things. And he also knew that Anne would be more than happy to share her closet with her best friend, so why not volunteer her? Once Jerry was back in the living room, Diana looked at him graciously. _”Merci,_ Jerry.” She said solemnly. He tried not to show how strange it felt to hear her speak French to him again. So instead, he only nodded at her, and oh how she yearned to say so much more to him. She wanted to beg for his forgiveness, and ask how he’d been, how his family had been, if they all hated her now, because he surely did. But she bit her tongue, not wanting to burden him or embarrass herself. She could always ask Anne later. 

Anne cleared her throat as an attempt to hint at Jerry to stop making things so awkward, but he didn’t seem to notice. However, the girl had to give it to him - he was still acting better than she thought he would. “So Diana, I was thinking that we could throw a party to celebrate you being back! Nothing big, just a few of your close friends.” Anne said, still just desperately wanting the tension to go away. Diana smiled softly at the girl. “That sounds amazing, but unfortunately my parents are one step ahead of you and they have no intention of keeping things small. But all of you are welcome to come, of course!” Her eyes instantly darted to Jerry as she spoke that last part, but he still refused to look up at her. She sheepishly looked back down. 

Anne returned the smile Diana gave her. “Yes, that sounds nice.” Of course, it didn’t entirely, but if Diana had to suffer through her parents party then so did the rest of them. “I have plans that day.” Jerry mumbled dismissively, only half paying attention to the conversation. Yet he still knew that in order to get out of attending the party, he’d need to make his unavailability clear now. Diana’s face fell, and Anne mentally retracted her earlier thought that Jerry was acting better than she anticipated him to. “Jerry!” Anne rolled her eyes as she scolded the boy. “She didn’t even say what day it was.” Anne crosses her arms over her chest and sent Jerry a firm look that let him know he’d be attending the party whether he liked it or not. _“Merde,”_ the boy cussed in French, realizing that now he had no choice but to go to Diana’s party. 

He didn’t see why it was such a big deal, though. Diana’s parents wouldn’t be too thrilled with his presence, even though they had no clue about his previous relationship with their daughter. The fact of the matter was, the Barry’s had more money than anyone else in Avonlea, whereas Jerry’s family of 12 lived in one tiny studio apartment. Jerry began to grow angry at the thought of partying in a house where almost nobody liked him, simply because of his status - and a quick side eye at Diana only continued to make his blood boil. He couldn’t help but think that she must’ve felt the same way as her family. Even though she swore to him that wasn’t the case, that was the only thing that made sense to him. She left him, after all. Too scared of her parents to protest finishing school in Paris, no matter how much she cared for him or didn’t want to go. However, Jerry didn’t bother to say anything that he was thinking - in fact, he had only ever spoken about Diana a handful of times - and instead, the French-Canadian swiftly exited the living room and descended into his own room; the very first one he’d ever had. 

—

In the duration of her four years in France, Diana Barry often let her mind wander to Jerry Baynard. What he was doing, who he was flirting with as he used to with her, how much he hated her for the way she left things. And yet it was all still somehow worse than she’d imagined. Diana hated herself for it too, perhaps even more than Jerry, but she couldn’t make things right now. It was too late, and Jerry had made that perfectly clear. Anne couldn’t help but take notice of the silent sadness between the pair - like there were words left unspoken. Issues left unresolved. 

Before Anne could even think about what she was saying, she asked, “What happened between you two before you left, Di?” Diana’s dark eyes widened. “He never told you?” Her voice was quiet and shaky, almost fragile, like she could break at any moment. But Anne knew Diana to be stronger than that. Anne simply shook her head no. Sure, she had always wondered and came close to asking a couple of times, but the fiery haired girl saw Jerry’s face anytime Diana’s name was even mentioned. He needed to heal, and discussing it seemed like something he’d never even consider. 

A lot of Diana and Jerry’s relationship was like that - not talked about. It was just easier that way. They were always in their own world with one another. Talking to Anne or Gilbert or anyone else about it would reign in logical questions that neither of them liked to think about or discuss. Neither of them ever really told Anne - she only knew because she often saw Diana sneaking into the barn to see Jerry. All of the sudden, Diana’s eyes grew sad, as if she had been mentally reliving the night that she had to tell Jerry goodbye. “I went about things so stupidly with him.” Diana croaked out. “You already know I didn’t tell him about it until the day before I had to leave.” There was a shame in her voice that Anne didn’t recognize. But Anne did indeed know that she was the one who accidentally told Jerry his love was leaving. 

_“You and Diana have the most beautiful and tragical romance in all of Avonlea.” Anne had told Jerry one day as she read, while he was busy at work. Although they’d never officially revealed their relationship to their friend, Jerry wasn’t surprised that she had figured it out. She was Anne, after all. He glanced up from the hay in front of him to look at Anne. “Why?” He asked, but he already knew the answer. Or so he thought. “Because of our class difference and the fact that her parents would never approve of me?” Truth be told, the boy had thought about it many times. Anne smiled at his use of semi-big words and for a moment she allowed herself to marvel at his progress before answering. “Of course. But also because she’s leaving for Paris tomorrow - oh, how I’ll miss her dearly.” A mournful look overcame her face, but it was nothing compared to the look on Jerry’s as he widened his eyes. “What?” He asked, exasperated and in shock._

Anne shuddered at the memory, feeling as if she played a part in ruining the once blissful relationship between two of her closest friends. “I just wanted us to have one last fun night before I had to leave…” Diana trailed off, and it became clear to Anne that this conversation wasn’t helping Diana, and Anne was still in the dark about what happened that night. So with one last hand squeeze, the girl decided to change the subject. “I’m just letting you know there’ll probably be some nights that I stay with Gilbert, if that’s okay.” Diana looked extremely grateful for the change of topic, and so Anne continued. “You can have my room any of the days I stay with him, of course, and I’ll let you know when I go and everything.” This seemed to even perk Diana up a little bit. “Anne Shirley-Cuthbert!” She let out a small giggle. “You’re sleeping in the same bed as a boy - without a ring on that finger!” The tone in her voice was teasing, of course, and Anne knew finishing school hadn’t altered Diana - she was still her, fancy training or not. 

“Oh, please! You haven’t been that conservative and old fashioned since we were 12.” Anne remarked with a laugh. Diana’s giggle chorused into hers, both of them growing louder. “You’re telling me! In Europe, they’re years ahead socially and,” she paused to lower her voice in true Diana fashion, “sexually.” Anne let her jaw drop slightly as she tried to imagine what Diana could possibly be talking about, but didn’t let her mind wander too far. “I was extremely boring compared to all of my friends in Paris.” And it was only then that Anne even realized that Diana had a whole life in Europe - friends included. As if reading her mind, Diana said, “But none of them could ever compare to my bosom friend.” She nudged Anne as they shared a smile. 

“Oh!” Anne piped up suddenly, as if a lightbulb went off above her head. “Speaking of friends, I’ve been meaning to ask you, would you mind terribly if Gilbert joined us for dinner? He’d really love to see you.” Her bright eyes sparkled the moment she mentioned her boyfriend. Diana smiled at the question. Of course she was okay with it, and she had missed Gilbert, but the truth wasn’t hard to see. Gilbert just wanted to see Anne. His love for her was unmatched, in a way that Diana had never seen anyone care for anyone else. Diana let out a happy shriek for her friend. “Of course I don’t mind! I’m so happy for you two, Anne. So happy that I’m almost over the fact that it happened while I was gone.” Diana paused, as if thinking it over. “Almost.” Again, the girls chuckled at one another, having missed each other’s presence more than they originally anticipated possible. 

—

As Jerry heard the girl he considered a sister and his sort of ex-girlfriend giggling away in the other room, he half debated going home for a second. Just while Diana was there. Most of his family was still there, except for the two older brothers he had. But just as quickly as the thought came, it went, because Jerry knew it would only make things harder on his family and that was the last thing he wanted. And besides, he didn’t want to overreact to Diana being there - but he couldn’t help it. There was so much history between them, so much heartbreak… He wished things were simpler. He wished he could travel back in time to when he could lazily call her beautiful, and get the most radiant and heartwarming grin in return. But the rational side in him reminded him that he had no idea how long Diana would be staying there - and he very well couldn’t be rude to her and hold a grudge the whole time. 

Well, technically he could, seeing as he had been holding onto this grudge strongly for four years now. But it wasn’t the right choice to keep dragging it out if he was ever going to move forward - which he wanted to, or at least he thought he did. But the pair needed a good, mature conversation that could bring the both of them closure. Maybe they wouldn’t be friends after, and they certainly wouldn’t be lovers, but they’d at least be in a better place than they were now. 

It took Jerry about fifteen minutes of pacing around his room before he finally decided to go through with it. _Just ask to talk to her,_ he told himself. _You can do this. If you do it quickly and get it over with before you change your mind._ He huffed at the battle he was having inwardly, not entirely sure about what he was doing, but he knew he would regret it if he did nothing. And so, with all the courage he could muster, he walked right out to the living room. His appearance halted the girls bubbly conversation and drew their eyes to him almost instantly, seeing as he was walking with intent. And for the first time in four years, he looked at Diana. He really looked at her, and wondered if their eyes locking pained her the way it pained him. He got his answer when she let out a small gasp at the eye contact, his eyes burning through hers, and her breath hitched in her throat. 

“Diana,” God, it felt weird to say her name again. But she almost melted upon hearing his lips part to speak to her - something she had never thought would happen again. She tried to keep her composure as she anticipated his next words. Not that either of them noticed, but a very shocked Anne was already gathering her belongings to go pick up Gilbert so they could prepare dinner - and to give her friends the privacy they needed. Jerry deeply exhaled as he said, “We really need to talk.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it's super long and maybe kinda boring? But it'll get better as I go (I'm hoping) and I just have high hopes and a lot of inspiration for this fic at the moment. Anyways thanks so much for reading :)


	2. Secrets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jerry confronts Diana about their history, which Anne finally gets to hear about from an unexpected source.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's a lot more Shirbert in this chapter than the previous one, and although this fic is mainly about Derry I'll definitely still be including some Shirbert just bc I adore them

Diana felt like she was trying to swallow glass when she heard Anne close the door behind her as she left for Gilbert's, leaving Diana completely alone with Jerry. His words still rang loudly in her ears. _“We really need to talk.”_ She had merely been able to nod eagerly in response. Indeed they did, but his statement still confused her. Only a few moments ago, Jerry had no interest in even looking in her direction, let alone having an actual conversation with her. But now, here they were - with her sitting at the dining room table, eyes glued to him, while he stood in front of the couch in the living room, awkwardly fumbling with his hands. “Maybe we should, uh…” he gestured to the couch behind him and promptly sat down. Diana could hear the nerves in his voice, so she said nothing as she moved towards him in fear that her tone would give too much away about how incredibly timid she was. She sat beside him; not too close out of fear that she would upset him, but not too far either. 

To her surprise, she was the one who initiated the conversation, although she had no idea what to say. “I would ask what you’d like to discuss, but I suppose there is an elephant in the room.” This term slightly confused Jerry, seeing as English wasn’t his first language and all, and he almost repeated it back to her questioningly. He stopped himself though, deeming it unimportant in relation to the overall conversation. So instead he said, _“Oui,_ I suppose so.” And although he was sure he played it off quite well, Diana recognized the familiar scrunching of his eyebrows when a term confused him. She wanted to explain it but quickly decided it wasn’t the best time. When Jerry was silent for several moments, Diana figured she should help guide the conversation along. It was going to be awkward, and difficult, and although she had been dying to talk to him she was also desperate to get it over with. And despite Diana knowing she wasn't as smart as Anne or Gilbert, it didn't take a genius to figure out that Jerry felt the same way. So with all of the courage she could muster up, she asked, “Why now?” 

The boys head shot in her direction as she spoke, half expecting the two of them to sit in silence forever. “I mean, I tried to talk to you almost every time I came home, and…” she trailed off, not wanting to outright accuse him of avoiding her even though she knew that was the case. Jerry had to bite his tongue as an attempt to remain civil, because he thought the answer was evident. “Because you’re not just visiting anymore. Now you’re back for good. And you’re staying here, so we have to have this conversation at some point.” Diana had almost never heard Jerry sound so serious, and she mentally ridiculed herself for asking such a silly question. She gulped, trying to mentally prepare herself for his reaction to what she was about to say. If they wanted to get this over with, it was a question she had to ask. “Please Jerry,” she boldly looked at him straight in the eyes. “Ask me what you’ve been dying to ask me.” 

And just like that, he felt as if they were 18 again, cherishing their last moments together. He hated that she knew the single question plaguing every inch of his mind these past few years, but it didn’t surprise him. He hesitated for a moment. Did he really want to ask her this? No, not entirely - mainly due to his immense fear of her answer. But he knew it was unavoidable and that the only way out of this was through it; with a sharp, deep breath, he got it over with. “Why did you say no to my proposal?” 

—

Anne Shirley-Cuthbert was a sucker for a good heartbreaking romantical story. They were her favorite things to read about - but living it, as she had figured out with Gilbert, was not always fun and games. And seeing it play out in person, as she was discovering with Diana and Jerry, could be quite frustrating. The girl understood that emotions could very easily cloud judgement, but that was no excuse for the two of them to act like broken glass around one another and ignore the obvious - they still liked each other. However, she supposed she had no place to comment on it considering how long it took for her and Gilbert to confess their feelings for one another. She smiled at the thought of her boyfriend, just as she pulled up to his house. 

He easily could’ve just driven to Anne’s on his own, but Anne was always happy to see Bash and Delphine. Besides, Jerry and Diana needed some space. She bounced up to the front door, and didn’t bother knocking before entering. After all, they were expecting her. Instantly, she heard excited yet hushed babbling between Bash and Gilbert coming from the other room. Meanwhile, Delphine, now the ripe age of four and a half (she would never stand for being called only four) was running right towards Anne. The two got along abundantly well, especially because of how frequently Anne was there. “Anne!” The young girl cried out loudly, and suddenly the delighted whispering from the other room stopped and was instead replaced by the sound of frantic movements. Anne cackled, but couldn’t help but wonder what the two boys were up to. “Del, do you know what they're doing in there?” She questioned. It seemed a bit weird to ask a child rather than Gilbert and Bash directly, but due to how secretive they sounded Anne figured she should try her luck with Delphine first. Besides, children were far more honest than adults, she’d figured out.

Yet to her disappointment, Delphine only shrugged. “Nope!” And just then, out came Gilbert and Bash, with foolish grins on their faces. Anne raised an eyebrow at them questioningly. “What were you all talking about?” With anyone else, Gilbert would’ve played dumb and said they weren't talking about anything - but Anne was not anyone else, and she would surely call him out on his shit. Gilbert shrugged. “Bash was showing me some potential drink options for Diana’s coming home party.” Anne huffed, not bothering to push any further even though she didn't entirely blame him. “Well, now it’ll be hosted by her parents, so that won’t be a concern.” Gilbert frowned. Of course, they should’ve expected the Barry’s to have something like that planned. Yet, Anne's sorrowful look made him want to find a solution. And besides, Diana was his childhood friend and she deserved a coming home party she could actually enjoy. After thinking about it for a moment, his face lit up. Anne instantly recognized that expression - it meant Gilbert had an idea, and a good one. “That’s fine. They can have their huge fancy party for Diana, which she’ll hate. It’ll surely be nothing compared to the surprise coming home party that we throw her.” A smirk laid on his lips, letting Anne know that he did indeed realize what an amazing idea that was, but she figured she’d tell him anyways. 

“Oh Gilbert, you’re brilliant!” She embraced him, and placed a quick kiss on his lips. He almost complained that he deserved a better kiss due to the quality of his idea, but he decided against it. “She’ll never see it coming now! And she really needs to be able to enjoy herself. Especially with all of this stress she must have from seeing Jerry again.” Anne quipped. Gilbert frowned, somehow forgetting about the events that went down between his two friends despite the fact that Jerry had stayed with him to avoid Diana. “Oh wow, I forgot about that. Poor Jerry, having to live with his unrequited love.” Gilbert said simply. At this, Anne wrinkled her nose. Not that she disagreed - Jerry did deserve some sympathy - but Diana deserved some as well. “And what about Diana? I know her absence hurt Jerry, but he’s punishing her for a decision that wasn’t hers! Her parents made her leave.” She said in a strong tone, not sure why Gilbert would be picking sides anyways. At her words, Gilbert sent his girlfriend a sideways glance before cautiously asking, “You don’t know what happened between them that night, do you?” Anne’s sea-foam eyes widened, and she lurched towards him. “You do?” She asked in a frantically shocked voice. 

_No, that’s impossible,_ Anne thought. There’s no way Gilbert could know before her. And yet, he seemed very sure that he did. “Of course I do. Jerry stayed with me every time Diana was in town. He kind of had no choice but to tell me.” And although that somewhat made sense to the girl, it also made her angry. “That’s ridiculous! I live with him!” She reminded Gilbert. Gilbert looked at her with sweet eyes, but she tried to avoid his gaze. “Don’t take this the wrong way, Carrots, but maybe he felt more comfortable talking to me about it because-” “Because you’re a boy?” She cut him off in a snarky voice. Gilbert shot her a pointed look. “You know that’s not what I was going to say.” He pulled her over to him, placing his hands gently on her waist. “I was going to say because you’re a lot closer to Diana than I am, and he knows that. I’m sure Jerry didn’t want to put you in the middle of it.” And at that, Anne sighed, letting out all of her frustration. As usual, Gilbert was right, and for once that didn’t entirely aggravate Anne to acknowledge. 

Anne grabbed one of Gilbert’s hands, removing it from her waist and holding it securely in both of her own hands. “You have to tell me everything.” Normally, Anne hated to snoop. Okay, that wasn’t entirely true. But regardless Anne was still all for respecting people’s privacy. However, these circumstances were different. She needed to know what happened between them in order to help them fix it. And besides, she was sure neither of them would care that she knew. It was just too hard for them to tell the story themselves. Gilbert squeezed her hand. “We might wanna sit down then, it’s a rather long story.” 

—

_Four years ago, the night before Diana left for Paris._

All day, Jerry had told himself that as soon as Diana arrived at the barn, he’d confront her about her departure to Paris. He was slightly angry the girl hadn’t disclosed that information with him, but mostly he was upset. Did she not think that her absence would affect him? “Jerry,” a soft voice came from the entrance of the barn, and he instantly knew who it belonged to. He turned to face her, prepared to question her about leaving. But as soon as he saw her, any angry or resentful thoughts flew out the window. Her face was red and tear stained, although she wore a bright smile trying to hide it. He wanted to ask her what was wrong and comfort her while his hands got lost in her hair, but he knew that wouldn’t be happening - not with so much being up in the air for them. 

So instead, he walked towards her, and she quickly walked to meet him halfway. And just as quickly as they got near each other, their lips were connected. It was unclear who kissed who, but neither of them cared, their feverish hands exploring every inch of one another. And when Diana finally pulled away for air, she let her forehead stay resting against his, both of them savoring the moment for as long as they could. Diana had her eyes shut, silently begging for her tears to stop falling, and she could feel Jerry’s breath against her face. “Jerry,” she mumbled against his lips, and her tears were falling faster now. She hoped he wouldn’t notice them, but that seemed impossible considering how close they were. 

“I have to tell you something.” Her voice broke, and she felt him reach up to wipe her tears away. The boy cupped her face, and she finally opened her eyes, allowing them to meet with his. “I know.” The boy said simply. And at that, fear rushed into Diana’s heart. Surely he didn’t know. He couldn’t. Unless… “Anne?” She simply whispered. It came out as a question, but she already knew the answer. Jerry only nodded his head. Diana sighed, knowing she could never be mad at her bosom friend for telling him. It wasn’t her fault. How could Anne have known Diana didn’t tell Jerry yet? “I’m so sorry that I didn’t tell you.” Her lip quivered, and her eyes threatened to betray her again as she felt the tears well up. Jerry pulled her into a tight hug. “Don't be.” he said. And in what seemed like the blink of an eye, Jerry was moving away from the embrace and on one knee in front of her, fumbling to pull a box out of his pocket. 

Diana gasped, covering her mouth with both of her hands. This couldn’t be happening to her. “Diana Barry,” he began, opening up the box to reveal nothing. “I don’t have a ring right now. But I will save every ounce of my money to buy you a ring you deserve - a ring as beautiful as you.” Diana gave up on holding her tears back, although she knew that now she was crying for a different reason. “I know I don’t have much money, and that your parents would never approve of us, and that you’re supposed to leave for Paris in a few hours.” He swallowed the giant lump that had been in his throat since the moment he decided to do this. “But I propose you don’t leave. I propose that the way we feel about each other is stronger than all of the obstacles that could ever be thrown at us.” Diana wanted to say something. Anything. 

She wanted to tell him that she wanted nothing more than to marry him, and that she couldn’t care less about the money. But she also wanted to tell him to get up and stop making this so much harder than she could’ve imagined - and she did imagine this moment many times. But she was frozen, and so he continued. _“Je t'aime. S'il vous plaît,_ say you’ll spend the rest of your life with me.” That was the first time he told her he loved her, although they had both thought it many times. However, neither of them had ever said it before. Diana never said it because she knew she’d end up leaving, and Jerry was simply scared she wouldn’t say it back. And now, as Diana stayed silent, he worried his fear was coming true. 

“Jerry.” She said shakily, feeling her heart shatter. Because as much as she wished this could be a possibility, as much as she wanted to say yes, she knew she couldn’t. So instead she said, “We can't.” Jerry felt a wave of uneasiness pass over him, and he quickly stood up and dropped the empty box in the hay. “W-why not?” He asked, but he already knew exactly why they couldn't. He just didn't want to admit it to himself. Diana balled her hands into fists, willing herself to get this over with. No matter what, she couldn’t avoid hurting the boy. “I feel the same way, and I wish things were different so that this could be a reality, but-” “So this isn’t real to you?” He interrupted her, feeling himself grow colder instantly. A sullen frown overtook her face as he backed away from her. “That’s not what I meant.” The words fell out of her mouth desperately. 

“So what am I to you? Your escape from your rich girl life? Just a way for you to rebel; by kissing the poor farm boy?” He tried to be angry, but he wasn’t. He was devastated and embarrassed. Diana reached out to him, lightly touching his arm, but he shook her off of him. “I don’t have a choice.” Her voice sounded pleading, like she would do anything to make him understand. He looked up at her, the pain in his eyes being evident, and she had never seen him so vulnerable. “You have had many more choices in your life than I have ever had in mine, Diana.” She shook her head, growing frustrated. 

“No. The only thing I’ve had in my life that you haven’t is money. You’re free to live your life anyway you want to.” “And so are you!” He turned so he was fully facing her. “You’re just too afraid of your parents to live your own life.” Diana was close to sobbing now. She knew tonight would be hard, but she never expected it to go like this. “You don’t understand.” She tried to keep her composure as she spoke. He scoffed. “Oh no, I understand just fine that you are a cliché.” Diana felt her heart break at the sound of one of the people she cared about most calling her a name she despised, but nonetheless tried to pretend it didn’t hurt her. “Jerry,” She tried one last time. But he was far too hurt to talk about this with her, even though he knew it was the last time he’d have the chance to for a while. All he could muster out was, “I hope you have a wonderful time in Paris, Miss Barry.” And without even a glance in her direction, he got right back to work. 

Feeling defeated, Diana ran out of the barn hysterically and let her feet carry her home, not relying on her sight as her eyes blurred with tears. Once she was in front of her house she stayed outside until she was composed enough to go in and tell her parents and Minnie May goodnight. When she was back in her room, she let herself break down again. She finally stopped crying two hours before she had to leave for Paris, but the ache in her chest never subdued. 

—

_The present._

Diana had long anticipated hearing Jerry ask her that particular question regarding the proposal gone awry, and yet she still wasn’t sure what the right answer was. She settled for something vague. “Because I was scared.” Diana admitted truthfully. “I was scared of what my parents would do if I didn’t go to Paris. I felt like I had so much to lose.” She confessed sheepishly, slightly embarrassed of the girlish way she used to think. “But instead I ended up losing you.” She was quiet now, eyes locked on her hands. Jerry let out a deep sigh. “I was hurt.” He confessed, but even that was an understatement. For a while after she left, he felt completely destroyed. The first week of her departure he would hardly even leave his room. Anne got so worried about him that she made Gilbert examine him to ensure that nothing was wrong physically. “But I still said things to you that I shouldn’t have. And for that, I’m sorry.” Diana was surprised to hear him apologize, and she felt the walls she had built up to protect herself slowly chip away. 

But she knew she had to be careful. To her, he was comfortable, like home. But that didn’t mean she could let herself get her hopes up over him. “No, _I’m_ sorry." She insisted. “I didn’t mean for us to say goodbye like that.” He examined the small girl, and couldn’t help but think that her mother would scream at her if she saw Diana with the posture she currently had. She was hunched over, her head almost completely in her hands, her hair falling in messy curls down her back. “Why didn’t you tell me sooner that you were leaving?” He asked gently. She moved so that she was facing him, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. “Because that would’ve made it too real.” She was almost whispering, and Jerry was afraid if he even breathed too loud he would miss what she was saying. “And in the back of my mind, I knew it was, but I didn’t want to acknowledge it.” He nodded once, not completely agreeing with what she said, but understanding it.

“So are we okay, then?” He piped up abruptly, the tone of his voice sounding much cheerier than before. As soon as the words left his mouth, he got off the couch quickly, as if sitting there for a second longer would’ve brought back all of his feelings for Diana. She looked taken aback, not expecting him to be so willing to make amends. “Yeah. We’re fine.” She said simply. “But just to be clear,” he said, stuffing his hands in his pockets. “This doesn’t mean we’re gonna be friends the way we used to be. It just means I’ll stop being a _connard.”_ He smirked slightly as he insulted himself. "Sorry about that too, by the way." 

And suddenly, it made sense to Diana. How silly of her to expect him to want to repair anything between them when it was clear that all he wanted was closure. Regardless, she plastered a bright look on her face. “Of course. We'll just be civil.” He gave her a half smile. “Glad we’re on the same page.” And with that, he was walking off back to his room. Yet while he was content with moving on, her heart leaped at even the hint of a grin overcoming his face. And because of that, she knew they would likely never be on the same page again.


	3. Insomnia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jerry finds Diana sleepless the night before her coming home party. Diana wants to be excited, but she knows better than to get overzealous when it comes to a party thrown by her parents. Anne is plotting something, as she does so well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for not updating for so long! I recently took my ACT and so studying for it occupied most of my time. I really like this chapter though, it’s kind of a filler but it’s building up to some very important things.

Several days had passed since Diana and Jerry’s rather intense conversation regarding their relationship (or lack thereof) and the two had barely spoken since. At dinners, they’d sit silently across from one another as they listened to Anne ramble, sometimes accompanied by Gilbert. Jerry avoided coming out of his room after 9pm, because he knew Diana would be alone in the living room and he didn’t want things to be too terribly awkward. He would even occasionally go to work early or stay late, especially on days where he knew that Anne would be going to Gilbert’s. But Diana, of course, wasn’t just going to sit on the couch all day and stay alone. She had done enough of sitting around and doing nothing at finishing school, she decided. When she was left alone at the house, which was pretty rare due to the fact that Anne hated to leave her, she would often go out on the town. Sometimes she’d grab groceries for the apartment (with whatever money her parents were giving her, which wasn’t a lot as of recently) or visit the girls (mostly Ruby, who was so overcome with emotions upon seeing that Diana was permanently home that she was brought to tears). 

But no matter where she was, most of the time Jerry lingered on the back of her mind. Yet she hoped that if the two of them kept their distance from one another for long enough, she could forget all of her romantic feelings for him. In fact, she thought she was improving greatly at forgetting about him. That was, until the night before the coming home party that her parents were throwing for her. She was up especially late that night as she sat at the kitchen table with a cup of hot tea, thinking about how much she would despise the following day. It wasn't spending time with her family that she minded. Sure, they could aggravate her and annoy her and be controlling, but she still loved them regardless and had missed them dearly while she was in Paris. She’d have to spend multiple hours acting even more proper than usual and talking to possible suitors that her parents wanted her to marry. Her mother would surely make her play at least one song on the piano, and although she did enjoy playing, she preferred to play on her own time and certainly not in front of an abundance of people that she hadn’t seen in years. Worst of all, she feared that her parents would spend the majority of the party trying to convince Diana to move back in with them instead of “slumming it with Anne and the Cuthbert’s farm boy.” (A direct quote from none other than Eliza Barry.) 

And naturally, her parents deemed it quite improper for Diana to be staying in a home with a boy she had no blood or marital connection to. Diana simply reminded them that Anne and Jerry were practically siblings, and hoped her parents would think that Diana saw the boy the same way. She also reminded them of the time that she got hurt and almost had to stay overnight with the Baynards, and they were all completely helpful and respectful. Predictably, her parents were still appalled at the idea, but it didn’t bother Diana much. She could finally start to make more of her own decisions, and she decided to take full advantage of that any chance she got. However, this was also the cause of Diana getting less and less money from her parents, despite the fact that they didn’t want her to work. Diana was looking forward to seeing Minnie May at the party, though. The girl was nearly 15 now and that baffled Diana profusely. They had talked since she’d been back, but not as much as they’d both wanted considering the Barry’s were now grooming Minnie May to go down the same path as Diana. 

Diana was so caught up in her own thoughts that she didn’t even notice the sound of a door opening. Almost. Her initial thought was that it was a restless Anne coming to get some water or share a strange dream with Diana. The thought that it could be Jerry didn’t even cross her mind. After all, it was no secret Jerry and Diana were avoiding each other. But upon hearing the heavy footsteps cascading down the hallway, she knew they couldn’t belong to Anne. Quickly, the girl put her cup down to peek her head out ever so slightly, hoping her ears were just deceiving her. Sure enough, there he was - groggily rubbing his eyes with extremely messy bed head as he walked towards the kitchen. Diana couldn’t help but stare considering she had never seen him in such a state. For some reason she liked how disarrayed his hair was. His eyes were bloodshot and had bags under them. He looked like a wreck, but Diana wasn’t surprised that he was still able to pull it off. 

She was so focused on admiring him that when his eyes raised to meet hers she gasped slightly, nearly forgetting that he could indeed see her too. His eyes widened as he took in the sight in front of him; Diana sitting alone at the kitchen table wearing a light blue nightgown as her unkempt curls fell carelessly over her shoulders. “Diana,” he mumbled sleepily in greeting, accepting that the two of them couldn’t very well avoid each other forever. “I didn’t think you’d be up.” The girl shrugged in response, sipping her tea. “I couldn’t sleep.” Her own voice was more dazed than she had anticipated. He nodded at her as he moved towards the fridge. “Thinking about tomorrow’s party?” He asked, still knowing her all too well. “Predictably so, I suppose.” She mused as he grabbed a water bottle. Anne would’ve scolded him for drinking one, and would’ve scolded Diana had she known the girl bought them - _“They’re plastic, and excessively using plastic is killing our world. We can get water from the sink and it’ll taste just as good!”_ She would say. 

“Are you… planning on attending?” Diana tried to keep her voice as monotone and inexpressive as possible. He held back the chuckle playing on his lips. “Bien sûr. I think Anne would have my head if I didn’t at least make an appearance.” Diana did her best to suppress her smile, to no avail. “I sincerely apologize in advance that you’ll have to spend that much time with my mother.” She said earnestly. She loved her mother, but the way Mrs. Barry talked about Jerry and his family never failed to disgust Diana. Her parents thought of income as everything - your value is tied to how much you have in your pocket. But Diana knew better than that. The Baynard's were charming and full of life in a way that the Barry’s could never be. 

Jerry only smiled at her, but made no move to leave the kitchen. Diana dared herself to speak again. He warned her their relationship could never be what it once was, but he said they could be civil. That’s all she was doing, wasn’t it? “What about you? Why are you up so late?” Upon hearing her question, he grew sheepish and seemed to ponder what the right response was. “Uh, bad dream.” He decided on vaguely. It was true; he had a terrible dream. He just wouldn’t let her know that she was in it. Diana wanted so badly to push, but she knew she had no right to do so. Instead she simply nodded. “I heard warm milk helps.” She offered lamely. He raised an eyebrow at her questioningly, but also moved closer to her as if he was intrigued. “With nightmares?”

The exhausted girl chuckled, realizing how silly she sounded. Of course milk couldn’t help with nightmares. “Um, no. With falling asleep quickly.” The girl explained. “I know you have work pretty early in the morning.” He didn’t vocally respond, but the solemn look he gave her said plenty. _Thank you._ He moved towards the fridge, swapping his unopened water bottle with a jug of milk before grabbing a cup. “Matthew offered to let me off early tomorrow, you know? For your party.” Amusement was clear in his voice, although she couldn’t tell why. “How kind of him.” Her voice was sweet yet raspy at the same time, proving she needed to sleep although that felt impossible for Diana at the moment. Jerry wanted to say that Matthew only offered to let him off early because he was convinced Jerry was still hung up on her. He wanted to say that even with the extra time he was given to prepare for the party, Diana’s parents would still think he looked mediocre at best in comparison to the wealthy suitors that would be in attendance. He wanted to ask if she’d think the same thing. But he didn’t, of course, in fear of ruining one of the only good conversations the pair had indulged in since Diana’s return. “_Oui._ The Cuthbert’s are very fond of you.” He opted for, putting his milk in the microwave to warm it. 

Diana downed the last of her own drink before speaking. “And you.” She pointed out promptly as she walked over to the overflowing sink, discarding her mug there. When was the last time they did the dishes? Diana had been there for almost a week but couldn’t recall. Not that she was judging - Jerry was busy on the farm and trying to figure out if that’s what he was going to be doing for the rest of his life. And Anne was always sharing her time between the Cuthbert household, the Lacroix-Blythe household, and the Baynard-Shirley-Cuthbert-Barry (a disgusting mouthful, Anne had once called it) household. She was also going to be starting her teaching job soon. Diana figured helping out around the house was the absolute least she could do while she too tried to figure out what her future held. As Jerry grabbed his now warm milk from the microwave, she looked over at him. “If you happen to see Anne before I do in the morning, please let her know I’ll tackle these dishes tomorrow.” 

Jerry stared at her for a moment, mouth agape. Not that he was at all surprised. It was just that Anne and Jerry had a system when it came to chores - a poor one that they didn’t always keep track of due to their schedules and the fact that no adult was there to reprimand them for forgetting to do it. And clearly, they had yet to share their system with Diana. Jerry knew it was his turn to do the dishes, and he really didn’t want Diana to have to do it for him. “Diana, you don’t have to-” “Nonsense, Jerry.” She stopped him with a simple wave of her hand. “It’d be my pleasure.” He admired her optimism, not that he’d tell her that. “If you insist.” He took a small sip of his milk, reminding him of his need to rest. _“Bonne nuit,_ Miss Barry.” He raised the cup of milk as he spoke, a final silent thank you for her help, and retreated off to his room. “Goodnight.” She whispered back, although she was unsure if he heard her. 

Diana flicked off the kitchen light and made her way to the couch. Although sleep sounded nice, her mind was suddenly far more awake than before. Diana sighed to herself. It would be a long night - yet tomorrow would be dreadfully longer. 

———

Jerry woke up around 6am, the usual time for him, and wasn’t too astonished to hear Anne scurrying around wide awake in her room. He got ready for work in a quick manner, willing the day to be over with before it even started, and then wandered to Anne’s room so that he wouldn’t forget to pass on Diana’s message. Although he knew Anne, and knew it wouldn’t matter what Diana said; she wouldn’t be doing those dishes. “Anne.” Jerry said upon entering her room. The girl had just finished tying her hair into braids, and jumped at the sound of his voice, turning to face him. “Diana told me to tell you she will do the dishes today.” He said simply, planning on leaving it at that. He should have known better with Anne, though. “What? When did she tell you that?!” She demanded to know, crossing her arms tightly. Jerry nervously rubbed the back of his neck, not too sure how to answer her question. He just hoped Anne wouldn’t read too much into it. “Uh, last night.” 

Anne’s facial expression changed, and Jerry knew it would be harder than he anticipated to get her to let this go. In her defense, she had only recently found out that a guy who was basically her brother proposed to her best friend, and Diana had turned him down. Neither Jerry nor Diana had made even the slightest effort to mention that to her. She wasn’t mad about it - surely they didn’t like to discuss it - but she hated to feel so out of the loop with her roommates. She was determined not to let that happen again. She wanted her friends to be able to confide in her. 

“When last night?” He shrugged at her, fearful her questions would be continuous. “Late.” She wanted to groan and get frustrated with him for being so vague, but she knew it wasn’t that straightforward. Not when in the back of her mind, she knew that at one point Jerry had been so mindlessly in love with Diana that he proposed to her and pretty much wanted both of them to leave their lives behind. He may have a stoic demeanor when it comes to the girl now, but Anne sees through it and recognizes his pain. Pain that she too had felt at one point. And when she was experiencing it, discussing it was the last thing she wanted to do. So instead of asking more questions, she rolled her eyes at him. “Well, we can’t let Diana do the dishes today. Most of them aren’t even hers and she has her party to get ready for.” Anne pointed out. “I know it’s my turn.” Jerry said apologetically. “I just really have to get to work. Can I do them after?” 

“No!” Anne exclaimed. “Diana will have already done them by then.” She sighed deeply, knowing she would end up stuck with the dishes. “I suppose I could do them. But you’ll owe me, let me make that plenty clear.” Jerry chuckled, but didn’t take any word Anne said as a joke. “I expect nothing less. Bye Anne!” He called out as he rushed to get out the door. “Bye Jerry.” She called after him. And with that, the girl decided to try and make the day as easy as possible for her bosom friend. That task would prove to be pretty impossible; she just didn’t know it yet. 

———

Diana was the last one awake, which didn’t surprise her considering how poorly she slept. Jerry had surely already left for work, and she assumed the clattering noises she heard upon waking up were Anne. “Anne?” She called out, still working on fully opening her eyes. “Good morning Diana!” Her friend called back chipperly. “What time is it?” Diana mumbled. “Nearly ten.” Anne said, and Diana’s eyes shot open. To her dismay, Anne stood at the sink in the kitchen, doing the dishes. “Anne!” Diana exclaimed, running over to her. “Jerry was supposed to tell you that I was going to do the dishes.” Anne smiled. “He did, dearest Diana. That’s precisely why I’m doing them even though it’s Jerry’s turn.” Diana groaned, but Anne continued on. “What kind of bosom friend would I be if I let you do these dishes when you have your coming home party to get ready for?” Diana couldn’t be mad at Anne for being helpful, although she wished Anne would let others return the favor sometimes. 

Diana beamed at the girl. “Oh, thank you. I love you greatly Anne Shirley-Cuthbert.” “But not as much as I love you, Diana Barry. Feel free to use my bathroom and room to get ready in.” Anne paused, seeming to rethink her words. “No, feel _encouraged.”_ Diana giggled. “And you feel free to wear any dress of mine you’d like to the party.” Anne knew Diana would’ve offered that regardless of the fact that Anne let her use her room to get ready. Diana rushed off to Anne’s room, but not before calling, “Come join me when you’re done! We have to get ready together!” 

———

Diana normally didn’t take too long to get ready. She had been told her whole life that she was a naturally pretty girl. But today was different. It was like her big debut back in Avonlea. Her parents made it very clear that she was to look her best to attract the many potential marital suitors that would be there. So today, she put on just a tiny bit more makeup than usual, had Anne halo braid a section of her hair and then clip it in the middle of her head, and put on one of her best dresses which was a brilliant shade of cobalt blue. Anne looked at her admirably when she was fully done getting ready. “Oh, Diana. You look like an absolute dream.” Diana grabbed Anne’s hand. “You look extremely lovely too, Anne. Thank you.” But the tone in Diana’s voice depicted that she wasn’t as excited as she was trying to be. Anne knew Diana’s nerves were quickly catching up with her. 

Anne squeezed her bosom friends hand. “Promise that you’ll come to me anytime you start to hate the party too much?” Diana smiled weakly. “Well then I should just stay with you the whole time.” The two of them laughed, but Diana truly wished she could. “What time is it?” Diana questioned. Anne glanced at the clock. “Almost six.” Diana sighed. They only had an hour to kill, if even. “I need water.” She mumbled, quickly exiting Anne’s room and making her way to the fridge to grab a water bottle, not caring what Anne might say about its effects on the environment at the moment. 

Just as Diana was turning around, she heard an all too familiar voice. “Miss Barry,” and until that moment she had almost forgotten that Jerry was even there. Perhaps because of how long she spent getting ready with Anne. Fully facing Jerry now, Diana smiled softly. He tried not to show it, but she had taken his breath away. He had expected her to look stunning as always, but he wasn’t prepared for her to look so much… like a woman. She was one now, after all, but he had seen women before and yet had never been so captivated by one. But then again, Diana had always had a different effect on him. “Jerry.” She greeted, seeming to take notice of his expression. He cleared his throat, trying to gain his composure. Luckily for Diana, Jerry was so busy taking in Diana’s appearance that he didn’t notice her taking in his. 

He was wearing a nice dress shirt (that used to belong to his eldest brother, not that he wanted her to know that). Diana noticed how well it filled out his arms. “Diana? Are you okay?” Anne’s voice rang out loudly from her bedroom as she approached the pair. Diana and Jerry quickly looked anywhere but at each other, as Diana moved towards Anne, and Jerry walked deeper into the kitchen. Anne pretended that she didn’t notice how quickly the two jumped apart, for their sake. “We should leave soon. You don’t want to be late to your own party.” Diana knew she was correct, much to her dismay. Her parents would kill her. “Are you ready for this, Di?” Anne’s voice was gentler now, and Diana curtly nodded. But truly, she didn’t know if she would ever be ready.

**Author's Note:**

> I know it's super long and maybe kinda boring? But it'll get better as I go (I'm hoping) and I just have high hopes and a lot of inspiration for this fic at the moment. Anyways thanks so much for reading :)


End file.
